Trust me. That is
what God asked of Abram. Trust me that I will show you the way, that I will lead
you, that my promises are sure. God’s call didn’t come with many details. Abram
would have to trust that God would fill in the blanks along the way.

It’s so easy to get
hung up on the details; to lose the forest for the trees. How often do we wish
God would be more specific with us? How
many hear that initial calling from God but fail to follow because they want
more details? But, just like using the GPS in your car, God usually doesn’t
tell you what Step 2 is before you’ve completed Step 1. The role of faith is
trusting that God will be there to guide you along the way when you cannot see
what is ahead.

I can think of times
in my life when I’ve taken the plunge, trusted God, and witnessed his
provision. When I was working as a youth minister at a parish in Maryland I had
decision to renew my contract for another year. There were issues with the
staff that made working there an uphill battle and undermined much of the work
I was doing with the youth. My wife and I prayed and had peace that God was
telling us not to stay there, but he wasn’t telling us where to go or what to
do. When the time came I told the pastor that I would not return for the next
year. I had no job prospects, an expiring apartment lease and a wife & new baby. We were preparing to move in with Lisa’s
grandmother in Missouri when I was invited for an interview at a Catholic high
school in Michigan. I was offered a position as a religion teacher one month
before we had to move from our apartment. It was a step in faith to turn down
the offer to renew my contract. It was only after I made that decision that I even
became aware of the teaching position in Michigan through a chance encounter with a friend who knew a guy that worked for the diocese there.

I’d like to say I’ve
always been so faithful, but I know there have been other times when I was too
hesitant to take that first step in following God’s lead because I wanted more
information and details.

What is God calling
you to do? What is that first step that he’s asking you to take? Will you be
like Abram and go, or will or stay and insist on more details being worked out
first?

about me

I'm Tom Ponchak. I received a degree in theology from the Franciscan University of Steubenville. After graduation I worked as a parish youth minister in Maryland and a high school religion teacher in Michigan.
In 1997, my wife and I left the Catholic Church and joined the Association of Vineyard Churches, a non-denominational, evangelical faith community. I was the founding pastor of Matthew's House Vineyard in central Florida.
After ten years away from Catholicism, and longing for the Eucharist, I returned to the Church in 2006. I am currently the Director of Adult Faith Formation at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel parish in Indiana. I am also a member of the Domestic expression of the Brothers and Sisters of Charity.